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Pontifical Georgian College The principal theological seminary of
the Imperial Roman Church
Pontifical Georgian College is a private theological institution that serves as the historic and principle seminary of the Imperial Roman Church, including the Gallo-Russo-Byzantine Catholicate and the Anglican Patriarchate (Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church). The Imperial Roman Church is Pontifical is of Orthodox Old Catholic tradition, with both western and eastern Apostolic authority and heritage. It also descends from the ancient Roman Catholic See of Utrecht, granted autonomy by the Holy See in 1145. The Anglican Patriarchate (Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church) is in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2019. The college serves the needs of the Imperial Roman Church, conferring ecclesiastical academic honours on behalf of the Church's Apostolic See under the authority of the Gallo-Russo-Byzantine Catholicate. The College also fulfills the mandate of service through scientific enquiry and field research. PGC was founded in 1987 as Saint George Theological Seminary and was based in San Antonio, Texas. It is historically affiliated with Rome, Italy, and Oxford, England. From its beginning, the seminary maintained a formal affiliation with Wolsey Hall, Oxford, England, and was the exclusive administrator of the theology programme in the United States. Although the College continues a cordial relationship today, Wolsey Hall no longer offers theology courses. In order to better serve the needs of the Church and of the seminarians, the College maintains an educational model that combined distance-based study and in-person training. Seminarians are required to be in residence at an approved ecclesiastical facility and may have additional residence requirements.
The purpose of the college is to ensure excellence in education of the clergy of the Imperial Roman Church, Catholicate, and Patriarchate. For this purpose, there are five faculties: Sacred Theology, Sacred Philosophy, Canon Law, History, and Sacred Music. Faculty hold the ranks of Professor, Vice Professor, Deputy Professor, or Instructor, according to qualification, experience, and tenure. The college confers the following academic honours: Diplomate: Conferred in Sacred Theology (S.T.Dip.) and Sacred Philosophy (S.Phil.Dip.). The grade of Diplomate of Sacred Theology signifies successful completion of Minor Seminary. There are two tracks, a general one and one for those concurrently undertaking general baccalaureate education. The Diploma of Sacred Philosophy recognizes basic studies in related fields such as history or sacred music. Licentiate: Conferred in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.), Sacred Philosophy (S.Phil.L.), and Canon Law (J.C.L.). The Licentiate in Sacred Theology or its equivalent is the prerequisite for ordination to the priesthood. The Licentiate of Sacred Philosophy recognizes advanced studies in related fields, while the Licentiate of Canon Law recognizes in-depth knowledge in that field. Doctorate: Conferred in Sacred Theology (S.T.D.), Sacred Philosophy (S.Phil.D.), Canon Law (J.C.D.), and Sacred Letters (S.L.D.). The Doctorate of Sacred Letters is exclusively given as an honourific to recognize laymen who have made significant and outstanding contributions to theology and/or religion. The Doctorate of Sacred Theology is the terminal theological honour and signifies advanced, in-depth knowledge of theology. The Doctorate of Sacred Philosophy recognizes significant achievement in study of related fields. The Doctorate of Canon Law represents mastery of Canon Law. All doctoral honours except for the Doctorate of Sacred Letters require original research and successful defense of a dissertation. Officials and Senior Faculty As the sole purpose of the college is to train clergy of the Imperial Roman Church, the G.R.B. Catholicate, and the ARRCC, it neither maintains nor seeks any outside accreditation. It is further the policy of both the college and the Church that a theological seminary for the purpose of training clergy is beyond the scope of review of any secular or other outside entity. However, both the college and the Church acknowledge the important role of accreditation in secular and general education. Persons seeking academic honours for the purpose of employment outside the ARRCC and Imperial Roman Church are encouraged to pursue said education at a general college or university accredited by an organization approved by the US Department of Education. The Pontifical Georgian College is part of the Imperial Roman Church. The Imperial Roman Church is a modern Christian communion of ancient origins. With its Apostolic heritage from Saint Peter the Apostle, Saint Andrew the First-Called, and Saint Thomas the Apostle, and traditions from both the western and eastern Christian Church and Roman Empire, it represents a unique unification of the various branches of the Christian Faith. Its members are described as Old Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, and Pontifical Orthodox. The latter refers to Christians of the Eastern Rite, Oriental Rite, or of other rites with Eastern or Oriental Christian origins and customs that are in communion with the Supreme Pontiff of the Imperial Roman Church. It is also of Roman/Latin heritage. In fact, multiple Old Roman Catholic/Old Catholic jurisdictions incorporate the concept of Orthodoxy, even including it in their jurisdictional name. Pontifical Orthodoxy is pan-Roman, spanning the original Roman Empire from west to east and extending throughout all of the Christian world. It is at once western and eastern, incorporating the rich and diverse heritage of the Christian faith. Thus it follows the wish of Our Lord Ut unum sint – That all may be one. As the sole successor of Pope St. Leo X and temporal successor of St. Peter the Apostle, the Imperial Roman Church holds the same canonical authority as the Roman Communion (Vatican). The Imperial Roman Church is the ecclesiastical successor to temporal Rome, the temporal patrimony of the Roman Empire claimed historically by right of the papacy. Although administratively independent, the Apostolic See of the Imperial Roman Church embraces as brethren other Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox bodies, such as the current Roman Communion (commonly referred to as the Roman Catholic Church), the Anglican Ordinariate, and the Anglican Communion. The Imperial Roman Church is defined as the Anglican Patriarchate and the churches of all Bishops recognised by the Apostolic See of Sts. Stephen and Mark. The governments of the modern republics of Italy, German, France, Switzerland, and the United States, and of the modern kingdoms of Great Britain and Spain, as well as the European Union are not affiliated with the Stato Pontificio government in exile. [Gallo-Russo-Byzantine Catholicate] [Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church Website]
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